Politics should not trump law, even in Clinton's case

By Xxxxx Xxxxx, xxxx@hcnonline.com

Published
9:30 pm CDT, Saturday, October 15, 2016

In 2007, then-presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said, "I don't want to pit Red America against Blue America. I want to be the president of the United States of America." Unfortunately, President Obama didn't live up to those words. Since he took office in January 2009, the federal bureaucracy has engaged in downright corrupt practices to advance the political agenda of "Blue America." This is exemplified by the manner in which the Department of Justice and the FBI investigated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's email practices during her 2009-13 stint as Secretary of State.

In 2015, State Department and Intelligence Community inspectors general referred the email matter to the FBI as a "potential compromise of classified information." It was worthy of a dogged investigation. However, the FBI and DOJ (the FBI's parent agency) oversaw a disgraceful process that trampled the rule of law.

FBI documents reveal, among other things, that Ms. Mills inquired about technology that could be used in "wiping computer data," and worked on deleting emails with a server administrator who referred to the "Hillary coverup operation," according to a Sept. 28 Journal editorial. Evidently, no one at the FBI or DOJ pursued this.

Immunity was granted to Ms. Mills and Heather Samuelson, another Clinton aide. Mr. Comey claimed the FBI was trying to get their laptop computers. However, as the Journal noted, "The FBI merely had to seek a subpoena or search warrant. By offering immunity, the FBI exempted the laptops and their emails as potential evidence in a criminal case." Immunity also was given to Mr. Pagliano and two other men who had technical knowledge of Mrs. Clinton's system. "Usually, the FBI only 'proffers' immunity deals in return for genuine information. In this case, the FBI seemed not to make any such demands," the Journal asserted. "The deals also did not include - as they often do - requirements that the recipients cooperate with other investigating bodies, such as Congress."

When FBI agents interviewed Mrs. Clinton in early July, Ms. Mills served as the former secretary's attorney. This was illegal, according to National Review columnist Andrew C. McCarthy, a former assistant U.S. attorney. "Section 207 of the penal code makes it a crime for a former government official to attempt to influence the government on behalf of another person in a matter in which the former official was heavily involved while working for the government," he wrote.

It's no great mystery why "Emailgate" wasn't investigated seriously. A thorough investigation may have led to indictments of Mrs. Clinton and her cronies. That would have imperiled Democratic candidates across the United States and, by extension, Mr. Obama's legacy.

This miscarriage of justice ran contrary to the American spirit. Politics never should trump the law. Of course, an earnest investigation was too much to ask of Team Obama. It regularly uses DOJ and the Internal Revenue Service for political purposes. Indeed, it is not unreasonable to conclude the conscription of the Obama administration would make Richard Nixon blush.